Using Medications to Treat Depression

Are you a candidate for antidepressant treatment?

Should you be taking an antidepressant to treat your depression?

This information will help you understand your choices, whether you choose to share in the decision-making process or to rely on your health professional's recommendation.

Important things to consider:

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to take antidepressant medications to treat depression, including the severity of the condition, whether you are taking medications for other medical conditions, and your feelings about taking medication. Consider the following when making your decision:

• If your depression symptoms are mild and not recurring, you can try lifestyle changes and professional counseling alone to lessen symptoms or resolve depression.
• Significant stress or changes in your life (such as divorce or being laid off from your job) can trigger depression (as opposed to temporary feelings of sadness or grief). Take this depression test to help assess whether you might have symptoms of depression.
• If you need medications to treat depression, you don't need to be ashamed about taking them. Depression is a medical condition, not a character flaw or weakness. The medications will not alter your personality.
• You can improve the quality of your life and your physical health by taking medications. Untreated depression has been linked to the development of other diseases such as stroke and coronary artery disease.
• If your condition worsens while you are receiving professional counseling alone, medications can be added to your treatment. Adding medications to professional counseling for severe depression works better than counseling alone.

Should you be taking an antidepressant for depression? Take a depression self-quiz.

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